Hypodermic needle insertion is a critical aspect of several invasive medical procedures such as immunization, percutaneous drug delivery, biopsy, and diabetes lancing. However, in spite of being a routine medical procedure, statistics show that a large and growing number of people are suffering from needle phobia. Needle phobia, also known as Trypanophobia, is a morbid fear of medical procedures involving hypodermic needles or injections that has been on a steady rise amongst adults and children. The Journal of family practice, 41(2):169-75, August 1995 reported that, in 1995, needle phobia affected 10% of the participating population. However, a survey in Vaccine, 30(32):4807-12, Jul. 2012, involving around 2,000 people reported that 24% of adults and 63% of children had a fear of needles and that non-compliance with immunization due to needle fear was reported in 7% and 8% of parents and children, respectively. A similar survey reported in Vox sanguinis, 105(3):219-24, October 2013, showed that close to 42.8% of students will not donate blood due to fear, including a fear of needles.
Medical practitioners have adopted several remedies for reducing the pain associated with needle insertion such as applying pressure on or pinching up the skin of the target area, skillful positioning of the needle, and changing the posture of the individual prior to insertion. However, these approaches are not reliable as they depend upon the dexterity of the practitioner.
An improved needle insertion system with reduced pain associated with insertion is therefore desired. It would further be advantageous if the needle could be easily adapted to standard syringes typically used by medical practitioners, could be injected into various injection sites (such as dermal, subcutaneous, or muscular tissues), and/or could be tailored to a patient's pain sensitivity.